Patty Lou
More wonderful news from the O’Donnell family. Brian recently worked his magic having a street in Brecksville renamed Patty Lou Lane. The sign is located on a street in front of the Brecksville Ed Center. Patty Lou affected so many people’s lives and the sign is a reminder of her complete acceptance of others and her love for children. In Nancy’s words, the street now represents “acceptance of all children especially those with disabilities.” For all of us who knew her, Patty Lou Lane is yet another reminder of how she touched so many of our lives. Thanks Brian and Nancy!
Patty Lou O’Donnell
Born: October 6, 1949
Died: July 23, 1982
In Rememberance
by Nancy Phares-Zook
My younger sister, Patty Lou O’Donnell, was born with anoxia due to an egregious error by the delivery room nurse. My mom knew immediately that Patty was different than her previous two babies, even though she did not look different. Her slow developmental pace, unfortunately, confirmed my mother’s suspicions.
When Patty was old enough to go to school, there was no place to send her. While the Kennedy family had made strides bringing the subject of mental retardation out of the closet, there was still no formal public education for children with developmental disabilities. As Patty got older, my mother tirelessly searched for places that would take her during the day while mom worked and the rest of us were all in school.
By the time I went off to college, the nation’s understanding of disability was changing and access to public education for children with disabilities was guaranteed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Not surprisingly with Patty’s influence, I chose Special Education as a career path. I earned my Master’s from the University of Northern Colorado and worked as a Special Education teacher for the next 10 years. Also not surprisingly, the Sweeney-O’Donnell-Wintering families include a number of Special Education teachers across family generations.
Patty’s impact on our family and our extended uncles, aunts and cousins cannot be underestimated. From time to time I am reminded just how influential Patty’s life was, as when talking with Lynn Sweeney while visiting Washington D.C. a few years back. Lynn shared that she had adopted two children with developmental disabilities as a result, in part, of having known Patty as her cousin.
Uncle Bob also cared deeply about Patty and others who were mentally challenged and was instrumental in the development of a then new Cuyahoga County sheltered workshop where Patty was working at the time of her death. She assembled the silverware and napkin packets that were used by airplanes. She loved this job but didn’t like that workers weren’t allowed to chew gum at the workshop. Shortly after having been caught chewing gum a couple of times, she told us that when a supervisor walked into the assembly room she would now take the gum out of her mouth and discreetly put it into one of the silverware packets. Imagine that, lol.
Because of Patty, I can’t go into Safeway without thanking God every time I see a person with a developmental disability bagging groceries. I always stop to talk, listen, smile, and give them positive feedback.
Sadly, Patty died unexpectedly. Her funeral was attended by over 900 people. This fact still astounds me. A city bus driver who attended the funeral told my mother that Patty rode his bus to work every morning and she always greeted him with “Hi friend!” Patty believed everyone was her friend, reflecting her spirit which was both beautiful and innocent. She saw the world through the eyes of a child.
After Patty’s death, my mom sued the county for negligence. The state offered to settle for a paltry amount because they said that Patty was mentally retarded, implying that her death was less of a loss. This did not sit well with mom—not at all. After a lengthy fight, my mother went to court and won a sizable settlement. There were numerous witnesses who testified about what Patty meant to them and the jury agreed that Patty’s life was as meaningful as yours or mine. I still think about the implications of that court decision. My mom didn’t go to court because of money—she went because Patty was a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, aunt, cousin, and friend.
One of Patty’s truly unique qualities was her ability to remember us in our childhood, the way a child knows a sibling, a cousin or a friend before life moves on and takes us all in different directions. There is a verse of Isaiah that reads, “I will not forget you. I have carved you on the palm of my hand.” Patty Lou will never be forgotten for she lives in us even today as we knew her so many years ago. ♥
